Gas sensors are known for determining composition concentrations in hot gases, for example, combustion exhaust gases produced by an internal combustion engine. A typical gas sensor as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,477,887 to Ozawa et al. includes a sensing subassembly joined to an electrical harness subassembly. The sensing subassembly includes a metallic shell with a ceramic sensing element mounted rigidly therewithin at a first axial location of the sensing element. The shell extends along a shell axis while the sensing element extends along a sensing element axis. Due to manufacturing tolerances and variations, the shell axis may not be coincident with the sensing element axis. The electrical harness subassembly includes a metallic shield which includes electrical terminals therewithin which make electrical contact with the sensing element, and consequently, the sensing element is laterally supported by the shield at a second axial location along the sensing element axis. The shield extends along a shield axis and is joined to the shell at a radial interface between the shield and shell, and consequently, the shield axis and the shell axis are forced into alignment. However, due to manufacturing tolerances and variations, the sensing element axis may not be coincident with the shell axis and the electrical terminals may not be aligned with the sensing element, thereby resulting in a lateral force being induced on the sensing element. The sensing element is fragile and the lateral force may have negative effects on the sensing element which may be immediate or may develop after the gas sensor is placed in service.
What is needed is a gas sensor which minimizes or eliminates one or more of the shortcomings as set forth above.